It is with great sadness that I have learned of the airplane crash with ex-Alberta Premier Jim Prentice and 3 of his colleagues leaving Kelowna today. We worked together on the Canadian Automotive Information Standard (CASIS) when Minister Prentice was the head of Industry Canada and the Competition Bureau. He quickly understood the issues of the aftermarket mechanical and collision industry and moved the file along with the auto manufactures. After the election he went to Environment and we completed the deal about 2 years later with Minister Tony Clement. It made me so proud when I received a text from Jim congratulating our team for finalizing the deal. Such a nice touch from a class guy. Our thoughts will be with his and the others families at this time of loss. Truly one of the great politicians in Canada. He will be missed

I am pleased to announce Brenda Shepherd as our Group Benefits consultant and representative for the Western Canada Automotive Business Association. We are proud of our Group Plan offerings and flexible plans. Small business today, must count its pennies.

Whether your company is new to group plans or a long time enrolee, we provide good sound plans that provide the value to retain and attract quality employees. All at very competitive rates. We all realize the benefit of a second opinion. If you have a current plan, why not make sure you know where your plan is at in the marketplace. With just a small amount of basic information on an employee data sheet and a 10 minute call to Brenda, she can customize the request to suit your needs and we can quickly provide you a quote.

Brenda has many years of experience and is licensed both in BC and Alberta. She can also help you with your financial planning and business insurance needs.

Have you or your employees been in this situsation? Do you have Group Benefits in place that would provide counselling to help with emotional trauma? This is not only traumatic for family and friends but the towing family too.

BODY FOUND: Homicide squad has been called in after the body of a missing young man, Vimal Chand, was found in a car near the intersection of 66th Avenue and 140th Street in Surrey.http://theprov.in/XOLSFi

Western Canada Automotive Business Association would like to wish you a safe and Happy New Year! Please don't drink and drive. Can't get a cab. Call a tow truck voluntarily rather than meet a tower at a roadblock. Happy New Year 2013 !!

The Western Canada Automotive Business Association (WCABA) “Where Small Business Matters” is a recently incorporated not for profit association formed by members of the towing industry, in response to critical financial and operational issues for their industry that seem to involve ICBC at every turn.

The WCABA wishes to thank Minister Kevin Falcon for his leadership in demanding the recently released review on the Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC), and for taking swift steps to make changes to ICBC’s governance.

President and CEO of the WCABA, Dale Finch states…. The Towing Industry is financially struggling because ICBC took the unprecedented steps to request a federal competition bureau opinion. This opinion has changed all industry stakeholder relationships in the province that has worked in BC since 1973, even as ICBC was formed. ICBC knows that industry stakeholders do not have the financial resources as ICBC does, to legally decide this issue. We need Minister Falcon’s intervention. Businesses should not be put out of business, by a crown monopoly. That is a real possibility in the towing industry.

Finch states, “Rate setting or in this case the lack of rate setting is not only affecting tow companies financial survival, but everyone who works in the towing and recovery industry, who earns their living working for the these companies. Our Towing & Recovery Industry runs 24/7 businesses and works with their partners the police and fire departments, in some horrible weather and with the public in very stressful and in some cases, tragic situations.” Costs are going up on everything including truck insurance from ICBC, but revenues aren’t keeping pace. We need to be able to pass on our cost increases and that includes several programs including municipal contracts being dictated by ICBC rates.

The WCABA believes now is a time for strong leadership at ICBC. Finch states “The very recent appointment of Paul Taylor to the position of Board Chair is great news.” Mr. Taylor is a very experienced business and financial person. We have a long ways to go in sorting out our industry issues but if anyone that has the balance to sort out this situation, it is he.

We do not want a repeat of the devastation to the Towing and Recovery industry that the Auto Rental Industry experienced 4 years ago under ICBC’s controversial bid process.

The WCABA looks forward to working with Minister Kevin Falcon and ICBC Chairman, Paul Taylor in the coming weeks on resolving the issues affecting the Towing and Recovery Industry.

Founding chairman Jamie Davis, and soonto be appearing on the new Towing and Recovery reality show, airing on Discovery Channel this fall, is pleased to announce the formation of the Western Canada Automotive Business Association.

The association has been formed to advocate for the automotive services aftermarket and remarketing sector from a Western Canada perspective. The Western Canada region is buoyed by a strong resource economy that is creating challenges and affecting the automotive sector not only from a cost perspective but also competing for skilled automotive workers in all sectors.

WCABA is committed to “Where Small Business Matters”. All aspects of the automotive small business sector need to have a voice and it’s unique perspective heard.

The WCABA was formed by a group in industry who have become very concerned that the small business sector of the automotive aftermarket industry has become directed by consolidators. This small business sector has traditionally been the group that has been the backbone of the automotive sector, supporting apprenticeship and entry level employment into this dynamic industry in all automotive disciplines. WCABA will advocate with provincial or federal governments, insurance companies, and any stakeholders or suppliers of the automotive supply chain.

The WCABA has many initiatives planned over the coming months to make sure the member’s voices are heard, with governments but also from a Western Canadian economic point of view.

Chairman Davis would also like to announce at this time, the appointment of Dale Finch to the position of President & CEO of the WCABA. Many of the members have had a long standing relationship with Dale and look forward to working with him. Dale has experience in many facets of the automotive industry, and we look forward to his leadership of WCABA.